A Withered Cherry Petal
by EB Cheerin Gurlie
Summary: Kenji learns how to forgive his father when it is three years after his death. Matters of the past are the same as a dream. They fade away as time goes on. And one day disappear. Starts out like the end before the credits with Kaoru and Shinta (Kenshin).


_**A Withered Cherry Petal**_

_**Concept by: EB Cheein Gurlie**_

_**Revised Version by: Sakura Hopes**_

_**Publish Date: 9-21-04**_

_**Type Of Story: Multi chapter **_

**_Major Spoilers For Samurai X Reflections. I'd advice not to go any farther if you've have NOT seen the movie. You have been warned._**

**__**

_****_

_****_

_****_

_****_

Cherry petals fell like a winter's snow around the two. Each came down so slow...so gently. They were like feathers that fell off a bird in the rhythm of flight.

Kaoru's head hung low, eyes half lidded. They were void of the blue and sparkle from her youth. They faded into a dark brown and her skin no longer that creamy, ivory skin that caught all men's attention when she walked out to the market. It was deathly pale now. Her arms and legs were littered with bandages. Megumi worked so hard to keep Kaoru healthy, but there was nothing she could do but watch this awful disease take hold of her 'sister' and squeeze every last bit of life out of her. Through everything Kaoru Himura has endured, she always finds a smile. She can find a smile for her husband's fragile body on hers.

Shinta Himura, a man who retired his sword, was at peace. Oh, but it just wasn't just with his self it was the whole world around him. His beloved, Kaoru, stared at his old, wrinkled face and smiled. Her hand was caressing his face, warm with fever. His cheeks were pale, his whole body was. This made Kaoru feel pity for her husband. She loved Shinta. She loved every thing about him. Her love reached the lengths to where she wanted share his pain, all his heartache and sadness. Shinta refused her at first but then gave in to her pleas and made her his. He gave her the dreadful disease as she wished. It was all that she wanted. Well, that and her life with Kenshin. An idea stuck her as she glided her hand over his face and looked to it.

Kaoru's fragile hand rested on her husband's left cheek, eyes staring into the river. She smiled and leaned a bit closer to her husband.

"I wonder how long the cherry blossoms will last. Kenji, Yahiko, Tsubame, Miss Megumi. I want to have a cherry blossom party and invite everyone. We can have one next year too, and the year to after. Who knows, maybe by then Yahiko'll be a father by then."

She chuckled and lowered her gaze to Shinta's somber face. He was very quiet.

She at him, waiting for his reply. But what she got was nothing. Sweat fell and tears started to brim her lifeless eyes. Her heart started to speed up as she looked at the resting head in her lap. Her fingers caressed his cheek.

"You're so tired, aren't you?"

Shinta's mouth was closed, ends tweaked in an invisible smile. That face, Kaoru loved so deeply, was at peace. His bottom lip slightly open. He actually had a true smile on his face. Her worn pale hand wiped a few strands of his aged hair away from his left cheek. A slight gasp filled her and she felt the tears come. There was no scar and she knew what it meant. He was finally put to rest.

"Shinta? It's finally...finished..."

Her voice was a hoarse whisper. Tears landed on his face and her, once beautiful, eyes clouded over with the salty liquid. Two fell one at a time and traveled down his unscared cheek like running blood. She cried for him, she cried for his suffering, for his loss, and for everything he had once stood for. Deep inside her she was happy though. She was happy her beloved had finally came to peace and finally got forgiven for all his sins. His legend was finally over...

Kaoru felt her self collapse from the crying. Her whimpers seemed to have stop the rotation of the Earth. She was happy though. Happy that he was finally at peace with himself.

The cherry petals danced and swirled around the two. It was the end of two legends. The end of the Legendary Battousi and of the love of two people.

_Don't worry. He'll be back. You know he always come back no matter what happens.In out past we have both lived with scars that won't fade away.Scars which were carved in the shape of a cross. Father do you think I can do it? Share his pain nd the weight of his sword. Cherry blossoms are beautiful while they are out but are so beautiful when they are falling. You don't need to force yourself to smile in front of me. Matters of the past are the same as a dream. They fade away as time goes on. And one day disappear. Someday, he will smile at me. I know the world needs him and I can't change his way of life. I know that. I knew that, and I accepted him as he was._

_-Kamiya Kaoru_

_Goodbye Kaoru. Thank you..._

_Kenshin Himura_

_-_

_-_

_-_

Kenji Himura walked down the dirt path, his sandles sending small clouds of dirt onto his navy tanibouti. His father's sakabouta laced in the knots of his hakama belt. The bucket of tofu swung behind him as he walked behind Chizuru, his girlfriend. The two were inseparable. Just like his mother and father. He smiled a sad smile when he had stopped for a moment and slightly squeezed the stick the tofu bucket dangled on. Blue eyes fixed to the ground and a small sigh escaping his chapped lips.

It was the place his parents breathed their last breaths. He turned when he heard Chizuru's melodic voice.

"What is it? Are you all right?"

He bowed his head and put his hands in his pink gi. He smiled at her. Chizura reminded him so much of his mother. They looked so much a like but were so very different. He replied with his soft, deep voice.

"Of course. It's nothing..."

His blue eyes fixed to the ground as he began to walk a head of her. She frowned and jogged a bit to catch up with him.

"You won't tell me?"

He looked at her and smiled. That was his answer, a smile. Chizuru smiled and looked ahead of her and watched all the pink petals fall off the trees.

Kenji looked at her ribbon. He remembered how his mother would always wear ribbons in her hair.

"Perhaps later. Anyway, did I tell you how much I like that ribbon you?"

"Really?"

Kenji nodded and looked forward at the path that led to the Kamiya Dojo, his home. He pondered his and Chizuru's relationship for a moment and a question reared up in his head. Chizuru smiled and fixed her hair a bit.

"We'll live happily, won't we?"

"Yes!"

She really did love Kenji. He was so cute and sweet. Her brown eyes sparkled when she looked at more of the cherry blossoms fall. Chizuru loved late spring because it was when the cherry blossoms blossomed and fell like snow. Her eyes wandered at the outer gate that surrounded her boyfriend's home. It was white with brown rocks at the bottom part of it to support it.

A soft breeze blew her ebony hair. When Kenji looked at her like that a small tear fell down his sun-tanned cheek.

"What's wrong Kenji?"

"Oh, it is nothing. We should hurry and get home. I bet Yahiko and Tsubame wish to not wait any longer."

Kenji watched as his feet moved on in front of the other. It was like he was walking right beside his mother now. His mother was so beautiful and so full of life and happiness. Her ever-present smile always cheered him up when he fell or got a cut on his finger. Always there for him. But his father...he never was there for him. He never gave him love or kissed his finger and say it'd make it all better. His father was always gone, never around to encourage him when he was sad. When he was a teen his father was never there to explain life's little surprises. It was always his mother. Kenji has tried to learn to forgive his father, but it's so hard for him.

Kenji ducked his head as he went through the entrance gate of his home. Chizuru followed him to the yard and she went to the clothes line where Tsubame was hanging articles of clothing out to dry. Chizuru smiled and grabbed an obi from the pile of clothes and draped it over the wooden bar. Tsubame looked at her and smiled big. She bowed lightly to Chizuru. It was her way of thanking a person.

Kenji watched at the two young women were talking and having a jolly time of the wondrous day. His hand slid the kitchen shoji open and then it made a clacking sounded as it was popped into place. Kenji wiped his forehead, that was drenched in a slight sweat, and laid the bucket on the floor and walked over to Yahiko who was making lunch.

Yahiko smiled and turned his head from his task of cutting carrots.

"Hey Kenji!"

He was very cheerful today. That was quite odd for Yahiko. For the past three years he's been morning over the death of his mentor, Kaoru. This is the first time he's actually been truly cheerful.

"Hello Yahiko..."

Kenji sighed and bowed to show he was leaving. Yahiko nodded and watched him as he walked out of the kitchen and slipped his sandles back on.

_Three years seemed like such a long time. I miss Kaoru and even Kenshin._

Yahiko sighed and placed the chopped carrots in the boiling pot of water and added some onions and beef. A little been paste was added to give the dish some flavor.

"Kenji, tell the girls lunch is almost ready!" He yelled to the young man.

Kenji raised his arm in reply.

Yahiko shook his head and smiled. Tomorrow they would spar off. It was like a Kenshin and Sano rivalry between the two young men. He chuckled and laid out four plates on that low raised table and put chopsticks at each sitting spot.

Laughs from the past filled his young mind. They were laughs from when Kenshin and Kaoru were young and happy....when they were healthy. He remembered sitting right between Sano and Kaoru. Kaoru would always hit him and Sano on the heads for eating all the food. He and Sano would fall to the floor and Kenshin would watch them all and grin while he grabbed the small portion of food that was left and split it between him and Kaoru. They would all smile and laugh like everything was so care free.

Yahiko heard quiet footsteps behind him. He smiled and looked at Megumi with big brown eyes.

"How are you Megumi?"

"I am fine Yahiko....I see your fixing lunch. It smells delicious. Shall I go get everyone sense it seems that you are done making it."

"That would be great, thanks Megumi."

Yahiko bowed and Megumi walked to engnawa and yelled for every to come and eat.

* * *

**A/n:I hope you guys like it. Sakura Hopes really revised it a lot and made it better. Cause my writng well sucks. Any Hoo My sis an I hope yall reviews. Cause we ain't updating if we don't get at least two reviews. Fair enough. **

**Sakura Hopes Message- You guys umm I know my sister dribbles a lot and you can't understand her. Believe me, revising this story was hard! Sorry if you spot any grammatical errors. I really tried. For those of you who know me have mercy on me because you know I'm not good in English. Just don't mind her rudeness and please review. Gomen for any of you who thought she was rude!**

**BBA EB Cheerin Gurlie**

**Sakura Hopes**


End file.
